Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter
National Football Foundation
FIFTH 2026 GRINOLD CHAPTER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL WEEKLY RANKINGS RELEASED
The fifrth Grinold Chapter New England Division III Football Coaches poll of the 2026 season has been tabulated, and Endicott College holds the number one spot for the fifth straight week. The New England Small College Athletic Conference leads the poll with four teams. The New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference places three teams and the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference is represented by two teams in the poll’s top 10.
The Gulls received 10 of 11 first place votes to top Springfield College by 16 points in the poll. Trinity College in third place leads three other NESCAC teams in the poll and received one vote for the top spot. Amherst College is fourth and Bridgewater State is fifth in this week’s rankings. The poll is rounded out by Wesleyan University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, WPI, Williams College, and MIT.
The New England Division III Football Poll is presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation, which also serves as the title sponsor of the weekly Gold Helmet Awards presented by the New England Football Writers Association throughout the season.
GRINOLD CHAPTER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL POLL
Week #5 – October 26, 2026
Rank School (First Place Votes), Record, Points, Previous Rank
1 Endicott (11), 7-0, 119, 1
2 Springfield, 6-1, 103, 2
3 Trinity (1), 6-0, 98, 3
4 Amherst, 6-0, 82, 5
5 Bridgewater, 6-1, 64, 6
6 Wesleyan, 5-1, 59, 4
7 Massachusetts Maritime, 5-1, 37, 7
8 WPI, 5-2, 31, 10
9 Williams, 4-2, 26, 8
10 MIT, 4-2, 16, unranked
Also Receiving Votes: Framingham (12), Tufts (11), Salve Regina (2)
19 Named to the Grinold Chapter 2026 Scholar-Athlete Class
Nineteen high school senior football players representing 11 different high schools have been selected to the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter 2026 Scholar-Athtete class.
The awards are given to those graduating seniors in the Chapter footprint who have achieved excellence on the gridiron, in the classroom, and in the community.
"We are extremely proud and excited to honor this very talented group of amazing young men," Chapter Executive Director Jim Seavey said. "Their accomplishments on the field speak for themselves. It is what they do in their free time to enhance their schools and their communities, normally wIthout any fanfare, is what truly sets them apart."
The awardees will be attending 17 different colleges in Divisions I, II, and III, including Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Ivy League, Coastal Athletic Association, Northeast 10, Conference of New England, Liberty League, and New England Small College Athletic Conference institutions.
The Chapter has honored the schaolar-athletes since 1976. Over that time 1,046 young men have received the honor.
The complete list of honorees is available here.
Holy Cross’ Williams, Williams’ Fabiano Named 2026 Week 9 Recipients of
NEFW/Grinold Chapter Gold Helmet Awards
Holy Cross sophomore running back Joseph Williams, and Williams College first year running back Jack Fabiano are this week’s recipients of the New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Awards presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Williams, a native of Clarksville, Md., and a graduate of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, was a workhorse for the Crusaders lugging the ball 19 times for 206 yards and three scores in Holy Cross’ 33-14 upset of 21st ranked Richmond. He scored on runs of 21, 3 and 62 yards tying the score twice in the first half and giving the Crusaders a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter. It is the first 200-yard game by a Holy Cross back since 2023 and the first win over a ranked foe since 2022.
Fabiano, from Topsfield, Mass., and a graduate of Masconomet High School, carried the ball 26 times for 257 yards, both career-highs, in Williams 34-25 win over Hamilton. 213 of Fabiano's 257 yards, and all three TDs he scored, came in the second half. The 257 yards is the most for a Williams back since 1993. Fabiano scored on runs of 39 and 6 yards. Two plays after falling on an exchange fumble with Williams clinging to a 2-point 4th quarter lead, Fabiano scored on an 83-yard run.
For the twelfth straight year, the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation is the presenting sponsor for both the weekly and end-of-year Gold Helmet Awards presented to student-athletes from FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III institutions throughout New England. The awards will be presented at the NEFW Captains and Awards Banquet on December 10 at the Renaissance Framingham Hotel & Conference Center.
For more information on the Gold Helmet Awards and the New England Football Writers Association, please visit www.newenglandfootballwriters.com
2026 NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
WEEKLY GRINOLD CHAPTER GOLD HELMET AWARD RECIPIENTS
Division I (FBS/FCS) Division II/III
September 6 William “Pop” Watson, III, UMass Mathias Fowler, Framingham
September 13 Joquez Smith, New Hampshire Shea Lynch, Endicott
September 20 Dante Reno, Yale Christian Shapiro, Tufts
September 27 Xander Benson, Harvard Bryan Ferreira, Endicott
October 4 Dante Reno, Yale Michael Mendicino, Springfield
October 11 Charlie Smith, Harvard Chris Donohue, Dean
October 18 Harrison Keith, Dartmouth Mekhi Wilson, UMass Dartmouth
October 25 Bo MacCormack, III, Boston College Nathan Napier, WPI
November 1 Joseph Williams, Holy Cross Jack Fabiano, Williams
Milton Academy's Giovanni named to NFF Team of Distinction
2026 Milton Academy graduate Joe Giovanni has been named to the National Football Foundation 2026 Team of Distinction honoring the nation's top high school scholar-athletes who represent the future leaders of the game and have excelled at the very highest levels in the classroom, on the field and by making an impact in their communities. Giovanni is one of 63 honorees from a nationwide pool of over 3,500 high school football scholar-athletes as selected by the regional chapters of the NFF.
A four-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back for the Mustangs, Giovanni was a two-time Independent School League All-Star selection. Over the course of his junior and senior seasons, Giovanni snared 10 interceptions. A standout of special teams, Giovanni was Milton Academy's primary return specialist on both punts and kickoffs and had five returns for touchdowns over the past two years. In addition to football, Giovanni also competed tot he Mustangs' basketball and track teams.
Giovanni will attend Harvard University in the fall and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Crimson.